A 110,428 Calorie Stadium Snack Display.....Oh Wow - 01/31/12 04:00 PM
Check out this video courtesy of the LA Times. Presented on behalf of "meaningless Internet spectacles," this is truly an amazing snack display. I think for my part, I'll go a bit smaller for our "Big Game" Party (Did you know you can't use the super word for commercial gain?). Although this has given me an idea for a cake...I think that's something I could pull off by Sunday. :) Enjoy the virtual weight gain!
 
The Big Game Snack Food Stadium - Watch More Funny Videos


… (6 comments)

Correcting A Bad Hair Color....Cheaper Than Correcting A Bad Real Estate Deal - 01/31/12 10:58 AM

 
 
I got my hair done yesterday. At my age, and with my amount of hair, this is a long process. Base color to hide my roots, highlights to pretend it's sun-streaked, trim, style...you get the idea.
I do enjoy it though...the salon I go to is filled with friends of mine. These are women that my kids have gone to school with and clients and personel all have a great time.
Yesterday, however, one poor woman was having major color correction done. She had been "impatient" (her word not mine) and a bit "cheap" and had tried a … (48 comments)

Does This Listing Make Me Look Fat?? - 01/31/12 10:38 AM
This tickled me this morning. Nothing worse than finding that your morning pants listing doesn't fit anymore. Or maybe it never did. :) Clever post, enjoy!
Via Cherimie Crane, www.BeaufortTime.com (Cherimie Crane & Associates, Ballenger Realty):
I realize the importance of listings. I work hard to attract realistic sellers, however; there is always that one home that makes me wonder......
I believe that in some way the listings we take reflect on us as professionals. Is that crazy? My listings are my inventory, my inventory is my business. My business is where I spend most of my time.
I have done the "We … (2 comments)

After 24 Years.....I'm Off The Clock - 01/30/12 10:54 AM

 
 
It has finally happened...after 24 years. My youngest child left the house under his own power....well, our power, a Toyota Truck. I am no longer responsible for getting ANY child to school. No more carpool!
It's been a long time since the morning was completely my own (although I did get up out of habit and try to make him breakfast).
My husband and I raised 5 children. My oldest began preschool at about 2 years old. That was 24 years ago. Since then, I've been involved in some form of child-transportation. My step-kids went to school near … (23 comments)

Deadline For Short Sales Looming - 01/29/12 04:23 PM

 
So much of the Mission Viejo Real Estate Market is short sales. In fact, all of Southern California seems to be listing short sales. It's a sad situation that those who purchased or refinanced during the "boom" period a few years ago now find themselves stuck when they need or want to move.
In an effort to help these short sale sellers as well as the housing market in general, Washington DC had passed the Mortgage Tax Relief Act. This included the provision in which the federal tax consequences were not applied for a period of time.
Did you know … (35 comments)

Thank You, For Accepting Me - 01/28/12 12:24 PM
I really loved this post....by a relative new-comer. It makes the point that when we can create an environment here where new bloggers can feel confident to participate. Something we can all remember in our rush to comment. Think about how much better our entire Active Rain Community will be if we all think about this.
If you agree....go to the original post and suggest, like I did. I really liked this.
Via Susanna Haynie -Colorado Springs Realtor When life gets you moving...719-321-0800 (Springs Preferred Realty, LLC):
I am participating in the BIG Jumpstart Back to Basics Blog Challenge . There is a … (1 comments)

Socially Acceptable Spelling Mistakes? - 01/26/12 11:14 PM

 
My son posted a funny comment on Facebook the other day....have to give credit where credit is due.(For all I know, he saw this somewhere else.) He said that when one notices a spelling mistake to check the keys on the keyboard to determine if the mistake was "socially acceptable."
The premise is that if the keys are next to each other on the keyboard, then we have made a reasonable error.
For instance I posted last night:
" What a god day....long run, kayaking in the sun, 1 1/2 hour massage. Now? hydrate, hot water bottle, tea and … (18 comments)

Uh Well, Yes I Am The Same Person Who "Sold" You The House......The One Underwater Today - 01/26/12 03:38 PM

 
Yes.....I've been working in real estate long enough to have lived through some boom and bust. As a result, some of my buyers are underwater today, and along with lenders, we are the face of the industry. But blaming us? I'd rather you didn't.
I had a shocking phone call yesterday. I was making some phone calls to past clients to check in with them, say "hi" and of course....ask for referrals.
Although I do become quite fond of my clients when we are working together, it's still a business relationship.
I almost always end the transaction on a … (39 comments)

I'm Just A Realtor®....I Can't Put A Hex On You - 01/25/12 06:24 PM

 
I am just a Realtor®! I don't wear a black cape or carry poison apples. I don't know any (good) spells. My sword skills are sorely lacking. I have never been convicted accused of kidnapping.
I'm really not that scary!
But I do scare people. I hear from time to time that someone was "afraid" to call/email me. Why is that? How could that be? I mean "little old me"?
Ok.....I get it. Taking that step, talking to a real estate agent, you might end up listing your house or worse.....BUYING A HOUSE. We have a habit of finding … (20 comments)

I've Lost My Sweet Tooth.....How Did That Happen? - 01/21/12 03:17 PM

 
It's missing...my sweet tooth. I've always been the person who likes a little something sweet at the end of a meal. Always, always...even if I was good enough to limit myself to just one piece of See's Candy.
Another tradition? My husband and I have a tradition of going for frozen yogurt or ice cream after our favorite football team wins. This year....our San Francisco 49ers have given us lots of opportunities to go for treats.
This fall, I realized that I really had no craving for the sweet treats, and most of the time ended up grabbing a … (48 comments)

It's Not What You Wear....Or...How To Sell Real Estate Barefoot - 01/20/12 07:26 PM

 
 
I recently wrote a post about mistakes I've made in business. well, actually I didn't list ALL my mistakes....that would just be foolish. But I did mention one glaring example.
To be fair, it's wasn't as much a mistake as much as an omission. I omitted shoes from my wardrobe as I left the house.
Does Errors and Omissions Insurance cover this?
At first blush it seems crazy to think that someone could walk out of the house without a critical part of their outfit. But I live and work in California and the day in question was … (23 comments)

Oops!!! Do You Run From Your Mistakes? Or Use Them To Market Yourself - 01/19/12 09:58 PM

 
 
I see no point running from my mistakes. Granted, I don't send out postcards to the neighborhood relating every horrible detail of a lost deal, unhappy clients and basic errors in negotiating.
But everyone knows we have them!
I learned very early in my sales career that humility and honesty takes me a lot further than bravado and puffery. We all make mistakes....whether out of inexperience or haste or assumptions. But it happens.
I need to share a secret with you....our clients know we've made mistakes. I use this as part of my early bonding conversations. I have … (60 comments)

Going Down With The Ship - 01/15/12 05:05 PM

 
 
I'm sure by now you've all heard about the cruise ship with sunk off the coast of Italy. This story has grabbed my attention....I'll be taking a cruise off the coast of Italy this spring. Among the accounts of terror and heroism was a "footnote" mention that the Captain had been arrested...accused of abandoning ship.
We've all heard of the old adage "going down with the ship" but I never knew that it was an actual DUTY of the Captain. Clearly it shows cowardice and lack of care for others....but an actual prosecutable offense? I had no … (140 comments)

How To Succeed Without Really Trying.....Real Estate Magic Bullet - 01/14/12 03:44 PM

 
 
 
I have found the best method for finding new leads, keeping yourself in front of your clients (present and past) and close deals in a significantly shorter amount of time.
The Magic Bullet of Real Estate!
No more daily bloggingNo more tickler emailsNo more print advertising nor fliersNo more open housesNo more community get-togethersNo more prospecting in general
The key to finding new business, fostering referral business and closing difficult transactions can be summed up on one product!! "Sham-ware"!
No this is not a new form of bedding or rain garb....it's a lie! It's the magic product … (122 comments)

Working From The TV.....With Google TV - 01/08/12 11:03 AM
I'm writing this blog from my television. I'm using a real keypad on my couch and watching the words appear on the TV screen....very cool. 
I've been married for 18 years now...and after all those Chrismases, I have finally stopped trying to be "creative" with my husband's gifts. He really likes just a few things. He likes to fish, He likes his Jeep. He likes his cabin and boat. He likes TV. So....the  TV got bigger (50") and I added Google TV. Now he, and I, can watch TV and work on the Internet. I can blog while the football game is being … (10 comments)

Just Trust Me!!!! Why? Because I Say So? - 01/07/12 12:55 PM

 
 
"Trust Me!"
How many times in our lives do we hear those words? or a variation of them.
"You're going to love this, trust me""Trust me, this is a great deal""You'll just have to trust me"
These and statements like these are part of the American lexicon. The word "trust" is used so often that I think it's lost it's power. It's become a catch-phrase for advertising and emphasis. I think this is part of the larger problem of our society diminishing the values that we used to cherish.
In thinking about this topic, I thought about times … (12 comments)

Back To Square One? Probably Not - 01/07/12 11:45 AM

 
 
I had a great December...personally and professionally!
I had successful closings of some transactions....smooth ones at that. My husband had some successful closings for his business. I had many wonderful family events for the holidays. It was a nice Christmas season.
I also started working out twice a week with a personal trainer and began a running program. I am very tired!
The first week I found that afternoon naps were making their way into my day....what about the extra energy this was supposed to create?
I'd run after carpool in the morning and then twice a week, … (10 comments)

Ethics Getting In The Way Of Representing Your Clients? - 01/06/12 11:36 AM

 
 
I've read a few blogs recently about agents who have "fired" their clients due to situations they find unethical. Miss-behaving clients. It's caused me to think a bit about my own career in real estate and some of the clients I've had to work with....how I handled these situations.
One thing all the situations have in common is that I have not bowed out of the transaction. My feeling is that I'm there to do my job and do it honestly. I can do that regardless of how my client behaves.
I've seen it all....I hope!
I've had … (95 comments)

Magic Potions: As Good An Idea As Any...... - 01/05/12 11:26 AM

 
 
Double, Double Toil and Trouble
Ah Shakespeare's great rhyme about a witch and her cauldron. A sing song child's saying at Halloween should not be a rallying call of the short sale agent.
Always try to keep a smile on my face!
Yesterday we heard from B of A about a short sale and yes, we are $40,000 away in price. A mere 15% higher than the highest offer I've been able to get in 7 months.
Sigh!
I think I'm approaching this wrong. Perhaps I need to invest in a witch. A solid "please accept this reasonable … (11 comments)

 
A Southern California Coastal agent's perspective on real estate and other things that interest me!

Author Bio: Karen Fiddler has been a Realtor for...



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